Targeted Killing By Drones: Challenges And Responses To The Principle Of Distinction

Targeted killing is extra-judicial premeditated killing by a state of a specifically identified person not in its custody.In recent years,targeted killing has generated new controversy as two states in particular Israel and the United States-have struggled against opponents embedded in civilian populations.As a matter of express policy,Israel engages in targeted killing of persons it deems members of terrorist organizations involved in attacks on Israel.The United States less expressly has adopted a similar policy against al Qaeda—particularly in the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan where the CIA has used unmanned Predator drones to fire Hellfire missiles to kill al Qaeda leaders and affiliates.This campaign of Predator strikes has continued into the Obama Administration.This Article explores the Challenge of the Principle of Distinction in modern warfare,especially for the drone attacks.In many situations,it is ambiguous.Even when Distinction's requirements are clear,they are often illogical.Applied to the real world,Distinction benefits powerful states to the disadvantage of weaker actors.First,the Article introduces the characteristics of the targeted killing by unmanned aerial vehicle.Second,focuses on the connotation of the principles of distinguish and characteristics to analyzed.Third,analyzed the limit in the principle of distinction in modern warfare and put forward corresponding strategies according to the causes.